Crookshanks a Kneazle?(concerns FB)

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 16015

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Celeste Chang" <celeste_827 at y...> wrote:
> I posted this before, but it didn't get a response, so... repost. 
With 
> a few points added.

Really? I recall seeing quite a few responses. 

> 
> Sorry if this has been asked before, but has anyone ever thought 
that 
> maybe Crookshanks is a Kneazle? I don't think Crookshanks is Mrs. 
> Figg... I was under the impression that Animagi transformed into 
> animals of the same sex, but... JKR indicates that Kneazles can 
> crossbreed with cats, so maybe the fact that he doesn't have 
markings 
> is due to the fact that his family line has been crossed so much 
with 
> normal cats. That may also explain why he wasn't wanted, and why he 
> stayed so long in the pet shop- maybe pure-bred Kneazles are much 
more 
> desirable than those whose blood has been so diluted that they 
appear 
> to resemble cats more than Kneazles.

Very good thought.
That and the fact that he seems to be vaguely ill-tempered around 
everyone except Hermione herself.

> 
> Kneazles are also said to have the ability to sense unsavoury or 
> suspicious characters... Crookshanks certainly didn't likePettigrew. 

Right, but that was when Pettigrew was believed to be nothing but 
Scabbers the rat.  

However, Kneazlehood would indicate Crookshanks could tell beyond the 
facade du mouse. 

> (This also features in my Draco's-not-evil-argument- Draco has 
> encountered Crookshanks before, and if Crookshanks was a Kneazle, he 
> would have hissed at Draco if Draco was truly evil. So there.)

Not necessarily.  

It says unsavory or untrustworthy in the description.  The sneakoscope 
fired off around Fred and George, who are good boys, but were doing 
something nasty to Bill.

By the flipside, Draco could be decent  from time to time, and well, 
to be honest -- Harry, Hermione and Ron pretty much *knew* they 
couldn't trust Draco any farther than anyone (save Hagrid maybe) could 
throw him.  Crookshanks didn't really need to warn them. Plus, Draco 
was, on a scale with the other problems of the Harry Triad, too small 
to matter.

> Kneazles are also extremely intelligent and loyal- Crookshanks could 
> communicate with Sirius and understand what Sirius wanted, and when 
> Sirius was threatened, Crookshanks protected Sirius with his body. 

This is true. 
Crookshanks also knows where the knot to stop the Whomping Willow is.

> "Occasionally aggressive" also fits Crookshanks quite well- he 
doesn't 
> hesitate to sink his claws into Harry when the need arises.

Heh. Or anyone else.
> 
> Kneazles have tails like a lion's... is this what a bottlebrush tail 
> would look like? Or perhaps the bottlebrush is the result of 
breeding 
> with cats. The fact that owners of Kneazles must get licenses was 
> never mentioned by Hermione... maybe Crookshanks looked enough like 
a normal cat that they didn't need one?

Or she doesn't know. Which seems unusual. 

Or she doesn't want to give Crookshanks' origins away because it's a 
useful secret. 

Or, finally, Crookshanks is some other animagus we have not yet been 
introduced to. 


Indigo
[who has gained a whole new respect for Crookshanks since joining 
HP4GU]